How to Spot (and Use) the Invisible Power of Influence: Interview with Jonah Berger

People want to believe they are good at making their own decisions. From what they buy to who they vote for. It’s easy to see other people being influenced, but we have difficulty seeing it in ourselves.

We tend to hold a curmudgeonly attitude when it comes to being influenced or manipulated. And yet, everyone wants more influence. We hear a lot of people talking about how to become an influencer, and how to engage with influencers.

It’s seems like the “Age of the Influencer.”

Our guest this week on The Portfolio Life, has a counterintuitive approach to what actually influences us, and how to use it to our advantage.

Listen in as Jonah Berger, a Wharton professor and bestselling author, and I talk about why it’s easier to observe other people being influenced, why doing the opposite is still being influenced, and why writing down your goal improves your performance.

Listen to the podcast

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Show highlights

In this episode, Jonah and I discuss:

Unpacking the concept of social influence

How we are passively influenced by observing others

The sweet spot of optimal distinctiveness

How to positively influence others and be more positively influenced

Trying to avoid influence during the creative process

The danger of creating in a vacuum

How to write something accessible, but a little bit different

Illustrating complicated concepts in a way that’s accessible to your readers

A simple trick to improve rapport and get better tips

Finding motivation to write

Appealing to peer pressure and social comparisons

The hidden value of a “designated dissenter”

Quotes and takeaways

Recognize influence in the world around you to live a happier, healthier life.

Use the tools of influence to be more influential yourself.

Optimal distinctiveness communicates added value that people can relate to.

Answer the question: What’s an interesting way to tell a familiar story?

“When someone is like us, we feel like we’re part of the same tribe.” –Jonah Berger